the terror that looms in the dark

It ran across my face!

Well, it was so fast when it happened that it felt like it really ran across my face. At first my nose picked up the foul smell. There was no mistake as to what it could be. Less than a second later, I felt a light ruffle on my t-shirt.

I quickly jumped up from the bed. Brushed my hands frantically on my body to push off that foul creature. I didn't know where it was, but all I wanted to do was to get it off me. How dare it land on me while I was preparing to sleep!

That foul thing had broken my rest and this got me mad. I just knew I had to kill it. But at the same time, I cannot stand it. Of all the insects in the world, there is no way I can make myself to love it. I can let a butterfly rest on my fingers or try to play with a beetle, but definitely not this vile thing!

My parents heard me screaming away. My mama asked me not to wake the neighbours. My papa asked me to conquer my fear. He always says "That thing is so small compared to you, and you're afraid of it?" This, coming from someone who does not have any qualms squashing the disgusting thing with his feet.

It started running around my room, going between the nooks and crannies. I went off to grab a stack of paper, rolling it up to form a weapon. With a pose ready to strike, I tried to chase it out of the room. But it went back to my bed instead, hiding between the pillows. I got even madder, it was spreading its vileness on the bed which I was supposed to sleep in.

I think mama must've taken pity on her daughter. She came in to see what the commotion was about. And she came on time too. Just as I was about to lift the pillow to find the foul thing, it sprang a surprise and came scurrying towards me. I ran into mama's arms and threw her my paper weapon.

With a deft hand and accurate strike, the cockroach was hit. Mama has saved the day. Nevermind that the stupid thing left some residue on my bed when it got flattened. I was just glad it couldn't attack me anymore.

I went to bed that night saying a little prayer that God will protect me from cockroaches!